Sunshine Stars head coach, Deji Ayeni, and the technical director, Smart City FC, Fatai Amoo have hailed the organisers of the Ottasolo Pre-season Tournament for providing the platform for Nigerian teams to prepare for the next season.
The Owena Whales defeated Smart City 1-0 through the last gasp strike of Azeez Ajagbe and Ayeni who miraculously oversaw the club’s greatest escape from the relegation zone last season told Ottasolo Preseason Media that they are happy to take part in the tournament that has provided them with games to gauge the level of their preparedness for the season.
He praised the sponsor of the tournament, Otunba Gabriel Davies for making the pre-season tourney a reality with his hard earned resources and he called on other private and corporate firms to follow the example set by the owner of Ottasolo FC.
“This is a very laudable feat and I must commend the sponsor of the tournament, Otunba Gabriel Davies for making his resources available for the tourney to become a reality,” Ayeni told Ottasolo Preseason Media.
“He has provided a platform for us to have some games to prepare for the season and we are happy and grateful for this. I will like other private and corporate firms to follow the precedence set by Ottasolo.”
Ayeni nonetheless assured Sunshine Stars fans that they would be seeing a renewed Owena Whales with the zeal for success and passion to win silverware.
The Akure based side sojourned in the relegation zone for the most part of last season before a miraculous escape in the final game of the season but Ayeni told journalists that they are working on ensuring that they do not stutter when the season begins.
“We are aware of what happened last season and we are trying as much as possible to put it behind us. We are working on ensuring that we do not struggle next season,” Ayeni said.
“We played against a tough opponent in Smart City. They have won the Lagos FA Cup before and should not be taken for granted. We played against a tough team and we hope to get better in subsequent games.”
In a related development, the Technical Director, Smart City FC, Fatai Amoo also thumbed up the brain behind Ottasolo Preseason Tournament; Otunba Gabriel Davies for the effort he made to ensure top teams in the top flight and lower league assemble in Lagos to test the level of their build up to the new season.
“We really want to appreciate Ottasolo for putting this together. It is not easy at this point to have an individual put forward his resources for something of this magnitude and he needs to be encouraged,” Amoo said.
